This invention relates generally to exterior mirror assemblies for automotive vehicles and specifically to exterior mirror assemblies having a hand set mirror adjustment mechanism therein.
In exterior mirror assemblies for automobiles, it is common to have a housing with an internal adjustment mechanism which supports and moves a mirror. The manual or hand set version often utilizes levers or cables for remote adjustment of the mirror within the housing. However, traditional manually adjusted mirrors for the exterior of automotive vehicles have had optical vibration problems. A common adjustment mechanism design has been to use a pair of ball and socket or cylindrical post frictional retention means. Examples of this are: U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,886, "Outside Rear-View Mirror Having A Mechanically Adjustable Mirror Glass For A Vehicle", issued to Polzer et al. on Aug. 15, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,327, "Rear Vision Mirror Adjusting Means", issued to Fimer on May 16, 1988; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,045, "Manual Adjusting Device For Tiltable Outer Mirror", issued to Suzukion on Jan. 13, 1987; all of which are incorporated by reference herewithin.
Another method has been to use a pivot cup, attached to a mirror casing, wherein the pivot cup has a forward facing post centrally extending therefrom in a direction away from the mirror casing. The pivot cup post is held onto a retainer by a compression spring axially extending forward therefrom. This method is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,279, "Adjustable Rear View Mirror", issued to Andreas et al. on Jan. 1, 1991 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention (Sheller-Globe Corp. was subsequently acquired by the present assignee); this patent is incorporated by reference herewithin. A third type of adjustment mechanism is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,065, "Rear View Mirror for Various Vehicles Utilizing Friction Bearing Surface", issued to Manzoni on Apr. 25, 1989, incorporated by reference herewithin. The latter two adjustment mechanisms illustrate an improvement in the art over the prior ball and socket or cylindrical post mechanisms, however, these latter patents still have optical vibration problems and assembly may be intricate and difficult.